Bedstead.



No. 726,108. K 'PATENTED APR. 21, 1903. A. STBDMAN.

BEDSTEAD.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24. 1902.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

www .MJMMM' N0.726,1os. y y PATENTBD APR. 2'1, 190s.

A. STEDMA'N.

BEDSTEAD. A

f APPLIOATION FILED IAB. 24. 1902. No MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED, .STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR STEDMAN, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO.

BEDSTEAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 726,108, dated AprilV21, 1903. Application filed March 24,1902.A Serial No. 99.771. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR STEDMAN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, anda resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton andState of Ohio, have invented certain new and vusefulImprovements inBedsteads, of which the following is a speci tication.

This invention relates to certain improvements in bedsteads, and moreparticularly in childrens bedsteads' or cribs; and the object of theinvention is' to provide a bedstead orA crib of a simple and inexpensivenature and of a strong and d'urableconstruction having improved meansfor permitting the folding of the sides of the device.

The invention consists in certain novel features of the construction,combination, and arrangement of the several parts of the improved cribor bedstead whereby certain important advantages are attained and thedevice is made simpler, cheaper, and otherwise betterV adapted and moreconvenient for use, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

The novel featuresof the invention will be carefully defined in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, which servev to illustratemy invention,Figure 1v is a sideV elevation showing a childs bedstead or cribvconstructed according'to lmy inventiomand.x

Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the device as it appears when collapsedor folded up for storage or shipment. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectionalview taken transversely through the improved crib or bedsteadand showingthek same arranged close beside the side .rail-of an ordinary bedstead.ends of the legs are omitted. 4. is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3,but showing the several parts of the childs. bedstead Vor crib Fig. 5 isan enlarged partial perspective View showing the in folded or collapsedposition.

In thisview the lower` the side rails of the bed-frame, and 2 2 indicatethe end rails thereof, these side and end rails being preferablyconnected together at the corners of the bed-frame by lmeans of bolts orscrews 3 3, passed throught-he parts at the joints between them. Thebed-frame will also, by preference, carry a sheet of woven-wire fabricin a Well-known'way for supporting the bedding. 1 Y

The improved bedstead or crib Yis formed with movable end frames, eachformed ot' -posts et 4 and cross-bars 5 5, extended between `railingextended across the head and foot ends of the bedsteador crib.

The end frames constructed as above described are adapted when thebedstead or crib is in collapsed position, as shown in Figs. 2-and4, tobe folded beneath the bed-frame .formed of .the rails. l and 2, and saidend frames are held to the bed-frame by braces or'links 6 and 7, asshownfin dotted lines in the figures, the links or braces 6 6 beingadapted to be extended in horizontal position beneath the end rails 2 2of the bed-frame .when the end frames are in vertical position, v

and the braces or links 7 7 being adapted to extendy in diagonal ordownwardly-inclined positions, as clearly shown in Fig..1, when said endframes are in vertical position.

I The improved bedstead or crib is construct- .ed-.with raised sideframes extended between the end frames above and along the sides of thebed-frame, said side frames being heldin hinged relation to thebed-frame and serving when raised to form, in connection with the raisedend frames at the ends of: the bedstead,

improved bedstead or crib .and'adapted to prevent the childthereinfromfallingout of the bed. When the hinged side frames arelowered, they aord easy access to the bedstead or crib from the sidesthereof and permit the device to be drawn up alongside of kan a raisedrailing extended entirely around the,

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ordinary bedstead, so that care may be conveniently paid to the childduring the night by a person lying in bed.

The side frames are formed of upper' and lower bars or rails 20 and 14,connected together by upright parts 2l, to produce a structureofsuiiicient strength, and each side frame so formed is connected to thebed-frame by means of hinging devices at its opposite ends, thepreferred form of such hinging devices being shown in detail in Figs. 5and 6. As shown in these views, the hinging device at each end of eachside frame comprises a lower member or part 8, formed of a piece orstrip of metal extended vertically up from the bedframe, its lower end 9being bent over at a right angle and perforated for the passage of thescrew or bolt 3, so that the hinging device is held to the bed-frame bythe same means which holds the rails of said frame together at thecorners thereof. The upper end l() of the strip or piece 8of metal isbent or curved outwardly or toward the ou ter edge of the bed-frame andcarries a pivot-pin or rivet 1l, on which is held the upper or swinginghinge member 12, a washer l5 being interposed between these two parts atthe pivotpoint to give suicient clearance and permit the two members ofthe hinge to work easily upon each other.

The upper or swinging member 12 of the hinge connection is extendedtransversely across the end of the lower rail or bar 14 of the hingedside frame of the improved bedstead or crib and is secured to said endof the rail by means of a screw 13, which is passed through an openingin the hinge member and takes into the center of the end of the rail, asshown clearly in Fig. 6. The extremity 1G of said hinge member 12 isbent at right angles to the body portion thereof and is extended alongthe inner surface of the rail 14, as clearly shown in the drawings, itsextremity being secured to said rail by means of a screw 17 in such away as to serve as a brace to hold the hinge member 12 securely andrigidly upon the end of the rail.

Where the hinge member 8 is made of enough height to hold the lower railor bar 14 of the hinged side frame at aconsiderable distance above thebed-frame, I prefer to interpose between the bed-frame and said rail 14another rail or bar 18, extended 1ongitu dinally along the side of thebed-frame and held at its ends by means of screws 19, passed throughperforations in the central portionsv of the members 8. These rails orbars 1S along the sides of the bed-frame serve to hold the beddingagainst displacement when the hinge-pivots of the swinging or foldingside frames are at some height above the bedframe. Where thehinge-pivots of the side frames are nearer the bed-frame, the hingemembers S being shorter, as shown in Fig. 7, the bars or rails 18 aredispensed with as being unnecessary.

The upper rails or bars 20 of the swinging side frames of the improvedbedstead or crib are made ofgreater length than the lower rails 14thereof, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the extremities of said upperrails or bars 20 are adapted when the side frames are in raised positionto take su ugly against the inner sides of the posts 4 4 ofthe endframes, being provided with eyes adapted to be engaged by hooks 22,carried on said posts 4 4, in such a way as to securely fasten the sideframes in their raised position and also to prevent the end frames frombeing lowered, so that the bed cannot when said hooks 22 are engagedwith the eyes be accidentally collapsed.

Vhen it is desired to fold up or collapse the improved bedstead or crib,the hooks 22 are disengaged from the eyes of the side frames, so as topermit the end frames to be folded down beneath the under side of thebedframe, as shown in Fig. 2, whereupon the hinged side frames arefolded over inwardly upon the bed-frame, as shown in Fig. 4. In this wayit will be seen that the improved bedstead or crib may he very compactlyfolded up, so as to occupy but very little space, so that it is muchbetter adapted for storage or Shipment.

When the improved bedstead or crib is in use, the swinging side framesbeing raised will by reason of the peculiar construction of the hingeconnections with laterally-bent portions 10 and l2 on their membersstand in alinement with the posts 4 4 at opposite ends thereof, so thatthe sides of the crib or bedstead will present a smooth and even surfacebetween the end posts 4 4 from top to bottom, and the hooks 22 on theposts 4 serve by engagement with the swinging side frames to insure avery rigid and strongstructure and eectually preventaccidental collapseor folding of the bed, and when it is desired to lower one or both ofthe swinging side frames-as,

for example, to permit the improved crib to be pushed close up to theordinary bedstead, so that attention may be more conveniently given tothe child in 'the crib at night-the hooks 22 may be disengaged from theeyes of the swinging side frame, and said frame may be swung outwardlyinto lowered position, as shown at the right in Fig. 3. The upper endsof the members 8 of the hinge connections for the side frames being bentoutwardly and the said side frames being held eccentrically withrelation to the hinge-pivots l1 of the hinge connections, it will beseen that when the side frames arethus swung into lowered positions theywill be flush against the outer sides of the bed-frame, so that theimproved crib may be pushed up closely adjacent to the side rail a: ofthe ordinary bedstead without leaving a space between the two andwithout danger of breaking or straining the hinges or the side frames inany way.

When the longer lower hinge members 8 (shown in Figs. 1 to 5) areemployed, the rail or connection 18, extended between the said membersbelow the laterally bent or curved IOO IIO

upper portions l0 of said members, will also be extended in line withthe side frames when the latter are raised, so that there will be nouneveuness or irregularity-in the sides of the bedstead or crib from topto bottom thereof.

From the above description it will be seen that Vtheimproved childs bedor crib con# structed according to my invention is of an extremelysimple and inexpensive nature and is especially well adapted for use,since it is light and strong and permits of being compactly folded up orcollapsed when not required for use. Also by reason of the peculiarhinge connections by means of which the side frames are held to Thebed-frame the crib may be drawn up much closer to the ordinary bedsteadthan is possible where other forms of hinge are employed, and the dangerof breaking of the side frames or hinges is altogether avoided.

It will also be obvious from the above description that the improvedchilds bed or crib is capable of some modification without materialdeparture from the principles and spirit of the invention, and for thisreason IY do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the preciseform and arrangement of the several parts of the device as herein setforth.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is Y l. The combination of a bed-frame having siderails and provided with end posts in line with said side rails, side'frames extended above the siderails between the end posts and adaptedto be raised and lowered and arranged, when in raised positions, in linewith the said end posts between which they extend, upper hinge memberscarried on the side frames and having portions extended away from saidside frames toward the edges of the side rails, and lower hinge membersheld on the bed-frame and having pivotal connection with the extendedportions of the upper hinge members at points outside of the sideframes, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a bed-frame, having side rails and end posts inline with said side rails, lower hin ge members connected with thebed-frame in line with the end posts and extended up above the same andhaving their upper ends extended outwardly toward the lateral edges ofthe bed-frame, parts held at their ends to'the lower portions of thesaidy tions extended away from said side framesA and adapted, when saidside frames are in vertical position, to be extended outwardly beyondthe outer sides thereof,the side frames When in vertical positions beingalined with said end posts and said outwardly-extended portions of theupper hinge members having pivotal connection with theoutwardly-extended upper ends of the lower hinge members'to hold theside frames for pivotal movement upon the bed-frame, substantially asset forth.

3. The combination of a bed-frame, lower hinge members connected withand extended above the bed-frame, upper hinge members pivotallyconnected with the upper ends of the lower members and swinging sideframes having at the lower parts bars or rails across the ends of whichthe upper hinge members are transversely extended, the sideframes .beingheld to said upper members eccentrically with relation to the pivotconnections between the hinge members, substantially as set forth. A

4. The combination of a bed-frame, lower hinge members connected withand extended above the bed-frame and having their upper ends bentoutward toward' the lateral edges ofthe bed-frame, upper hinge memberspivotally connected with the upper ends of the lower members, washersinterposed between the hinge members at their pivot connections andyswinging side frames having at their lower parts bars or rails acrossthe ends of which the upper hinge members are transversely extended, theside frames being held to said upper members eccentrically withrelat-ion to the pivot connections between the hinge members and theupper members having their extremities bent at right angles and extendedalong and secured to the inner sides of said lower bars or rails of theside frames, substantially as 'set forth.

Signed at Cincinnati, Ohio, this 20th day of March, 1902.

ARTHUR STEDMAN.

Witnesses:

WARDER D. HUNT, JOHN ELIAS .T oNns.

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